The White House on Monday said that it was examining Iran’s latest proposal to unblock the Strait of Hormuz, two months after a US and Israeli offensive sent shock waves through the global economy.
Peace talks between the US and Iran to end the Middle East conflict and fully reopen the vital strait have so far proven inconclusive since a ceasefire came into force.
US President Donald Trump on Monday met with his top security advisers to discuss an Iranian proposal after Tehran passed “written messages” to Washington via Pakistan, spelling out its red lines in negotiations, including on nuclear issues and the Strait of Hormuz, the Fars news agency reported.
Photo: Reuters
The proposal was “being discussed,” spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt told a White House briefing.
Asked about the terms of Iran’s proposal, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio told Fox News: “It’s better than what we thought they were going to submit,” but questioned whether it was genuine.
“We have to ensure that any deal that is made, any agreement that is made, is one that definitively prevents them from sprinting towards a nuclear weapon at any point,” he said.
Iran’s top diplomat on Monday blamed Washington for the failure of peace talks during a visit to Russia, where Russian President Vladimir Putin promised him Moscow’s support in ending the war.
“The US approaches caused the previous round of negotiations, despite progress, to fail to reach its goals because of the excessive demands,” Iranian Minister of Foreign Affairs Abbas Araghchi said.
Araghchi was in Saint Petersburg after visiting Oman and Pakistan, the main mediator in the Middle East conflict.
Islamabad had hosted a first, unsuccessful round of US-Iran talks and Araghchi’s visit had raised hopes for more negotiations over the weekend, but Trump scrapped a planned trip by his envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner.
Trump told Fox News that if Iran wanted talks, “they can call us” — adding that the cancelation does not signal a return to hostilities.
Tehran would first need guarantees Washington and Israel would not attack again if it was to offer security assurances in the Gulf, Iran’s envoy to the UN said.
Meanwhile in Saint Petersburg, Putin and Araghchi both voiced their commitment to their countries’ “strategic relationship” following their meeting.
Araghchi said the war, which began when the US and Israel attacked Iran on Feb. 28, showed “Iran’s true power” and stability, but back in Tehran, the mood was more sober.
“Everything in the country is up in the air right now. I have not worked for a long time,” small business owner Farshad told Paris-based journalists. “The country is in complete economic collapse.”
Though the US-Iranian ceasefire holds, the war’s economic shock waves continue to reverberate.
Tehran resident Shervin, a photographer, said he was feeling the pinch.
“It is the first time that I have reached a point where I was late on my rent. I still don’t have any projects,” Shervin, 42, said.
Iran has blockaded the Strait of Hormuz, cutting off flows of oil, gas and fertilizer, and sending prices soaring. In response, the US has imposed a blockade of Iranian ports.
Trump faces domestic pressure to find an off-ramp as fuel prices rise, with midterm elections due in November.
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